What To Do When Fear and Anger Take Over > Cheryl Richardson

What To Do When Fear and Anger Take Over

It’s 8:30 am and I’m sitting on my yoga mat at the gym, getting ready for a yin class – a type of gentle yoga designed to stretch the body in deep and restorative ways.

I need gentle.I need deep.I need to be restored.

My heart breaks for the state of our world right now.

As I lie back on my mat and tune in, I feel the weight of sorrow sitting heavy on my chest. The body holds the truth…

I’m scared.I’m angry.I’m so, so sad.

I breathe deep and allow these feelings to rise to the surface. This is where all transformation begins. In the silence. In the willingness to be present to what we think and feel.

As I slowly move from pose to pose, holding each one for several minutes, I welcome the fear, the sorrow, the rage. I use this practice to witness the regressed part of me – the little girl who feels helpless and confused. She needs my attention and care.

The healer must tend to her own healing first. I don’t want my inner 5 or 10 year-old writing blogs, posting on Facebook, or speaking out about current events.

We have enough of that going on already.

I want the loving and respectful woman running the show.

So I grow myself back up on the mat.

I see you, I tell the frightened little girl as I move to the next pose and hold steady. I know you’re scared and I promise I’ll do what it takes to get us through this challenging time.

As I continue to treat her with tenderness and presence, she releases her grip and my body relaxes.

By the time the class ends, I’m restored to an empowered adult who feels able to handle the day with wisdom and grace.

While the exercise of growing myself back up might seem simplistic, experience has taught me that healing begins with the individual. Our willingness to acknowledge and support the young parts of us that call out for attention is the key to global health and sanity.

Otherwise we have children running around in adult bodies making important decisions that affect the fate of humanity.

When I’m in my adult state of mind, I’m able to be patient and measured, to listen deeply, to host different points of view, and to share my thoughts and ideas in a respectful way that encourages receptivity and healthy change.

Do I stand up for what I believe in and take action? You bet I do. But I start on the inside.

Our greatest contribution to humanity is made when we make the evolution of our own consciousness our first priority.

Video of the Week

I found this performance of “The Sound of Silence” deeply moving and wanted to share it with you this week.

Author Information

Cheryl Richardson is the author of The New York Times bestselling books, Take Time for Your Life, Life Makeovers, Stand Up for Your Life, The Unmistakable Touch of Grace and her new bookThe Art of Extreme Self Care. She was the first president of the International Coach Federation and holds one of their first Master Certified Coach credentials.